The Indiana County commissioners are warning military veterans and their families to be alert for a scam in which vets are asked to pay for assistance in getting their rightful military benefits.

“We’ve seen advertisements from businesses that offer veterans assistance in applying for benefits for free, and then end up charging a fee for financial planning services,” Brig. Gen. Mike Gould, the state’s deputy adjutant general for veterans’ affairs, said in a statement released by the commissioners. “We need to get the word out that veterans should never pay for these services.”

According to the warning being spread with the help of the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania, free assistance is readily available from each county’s director of veterans’ affairs. Brenda Stormer, Indiana County’s director of veterans’ affairs, can be contacted at (724) 465-3815.

Free assistance in obtaining veterans benefits is also available through chartered veteran’s service organizations such as the American Legion, VFW, DAV or AMVETS.